Apple hires top Warner legal executive to pave way for streaming iTunes

Given how much money it makes both them and the music labels, Apple needs to make sure that their iTunes legal department keeps its game face on, especially as Cupertino tries to enter the tricky world of digital music streaming.

Their latest hire, then, is quite the coup: Apple has reportedly hired former Warner Music Group executive Elliot Peters. Peter was Warner’s senior vice president and head of its digital legal department, and has a lot of experience negotiating contracts between music publishers and online retailers.

According to Warner, Elliott has “had a hand in almost every WMG digital deal.” That includes Warner’s deals with the Columbia House Music and Video Clubs, Word Entertainment and Warner Bros. Publications.

Needless to say, everyone expects Eliot’s hire to mostly be about getting Apple the contracts it needs to launch a streaming, cloud-based version of iTunes, which would according to report allow customers to play songs from their music collection from any online device, and in anticipation of which Apple has supposedly builts its $1 billion data center in North Carolina.